


Inner Circle

by Pandora_Imperatrix



Series: Four Names Verse [7]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV)
Genre: Bruce Needs a Hug, Dick and Selina are just mentioned, Gen, He's only human, Missing Scene, down with the myth of Bruce being beyond any failure, established batcat, you need to have read Three Names for Life to understand this story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:22:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27596794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandora_Imperatrix/pseuds/Pandora_Imperatrix
Summary: Dick was shot, Bruce needs to know whom to punish.
Relationships: Rogues Gallery (Batman) & Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle & Ivy Pepper & Bridgit Pike, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne
Series: Four Names Verse [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1791787
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	Inner Circle

**Author's Note:**

> This missing scene fits between chapters 3 and 4 of Three Names for Life.

Alfred and Helena had made Bruce watch all eight Barry Lotter movies, he had no permission to point all the verisimilitude fails, though, or to speak at all. This moment made him think about a scene of the forth movie, in which Sir Valdemar called in all his minions. It was a scary scene, and made him think of Ra’s Al Gul and his League of Shadows at the time. Himself, Bruce, was no leader of any fascist cult that he was aware of, and still he found himself wearing a long cape and mask, in a dark cemetery, being circled by costumed freaks.

The person that usually did the task he was about to perform was Barbara, but she was the one with Selina right now. That scenery, in a regular day that would mean work, violence, a mess that would end with half of the Rogue’s gallery back in Arkham and another shipped to Blackgate, and Bruce sitting on a cold medical bed being stitched by Leslie and hearing her scolds.

This time, though, it was different. On first place, it was not an ambush, he was the one to call them, and he was very clear when he said he was not starting anything, and that he would not tolerate any attempt of making it so.

“How’s birdy?” asked the Penguin, he had a soft spot for Dick. Selina told him once that Oswald was weirdly good with children and sometimes Bruce head him try to imply that, in Oswald’s words, he was Dick was birds of a feather and that they should flock together. Dick usually answered by kicking his now fat ass.

“Stable” Bruce answered drily.

“And Cat?” it was Ivy Pepper. Bruce didn’t know she would come. She was not like Oswald and Nygma, and most of the time she pretended to not have anything to do with the Rogues.

“She’s being taken care of by Lee.”

“What? Is the baby alright?” Firefly asked she had more moments of sanity these days, Selina told Bruce that she was even taking medication at one time. Selina thought about reproaching her old fried, she also told him, but, like fire, Bridgit was unstable, and Selina had to protect her own.

“I…” Bruce swallowed hard “I think so. She’s on bed rest now.”

“Bed rest? Selina? I really don’t envy you” mocked Ivy.

“She would appreciate visits from the two of you” he tried.

Bridgit and Ivy exchanged looks and said nothing for a while, then Ivy asked.

“What’s her room?”

“She’s at home, you can go there, like normal people. I don’t want any of you trying to break in.”

“You want Vicky Vale writing about us entering your house from the main door, then?” asked Ivy.

“No. But no break in attempts are necessary, just talk to Alfred he’ll make arrangements.”

“So, what are we doing here?” asked Nygma bored at the whole chitchat “Cat could just posted all that at the group.”

Yes, the Rogues had a waynechat group, Bruce was not allowed in. His wife despite being a criminal only sometimes, almost never, and more of a vigilante these days, was. She claimed seniority when they got married and Oswald tried to kick her out. He was really mad that he wasn’t invited even thought it had been a small affair.

“I came here to ask,” he went back to his Batman demeanour that had been stripped by the oddly domestic exchange with the two villainesses. “I could find out for myself, but I’m trying to give you all a chance. Who did it?”

They all fell silent, and Batman could taste the fear and anxiety on the air.

“Who did it?” he asked again. “Was it the Joker?”

Jeremiah was not allowed in the group chat either. But only because everybody had beef with him.

“No” said Oswald. “Had it been him, boy would’ve been killed for good” Bruce felt the urge to hurt Oswald for even saying that, but he clenched his teeth and didn’t move “and he’d be being insufferable about it too.”

A murmur of agreement spread among the rogues.

“Who then?” Bruce asked again, he was getting angry for not getting a straight answer.

“None of us” said Jonathan Crane. “But you can’t say he didn’t have it coming.”

Bruce’s resolve broke and all hell broke loose when he advanced against Crane who pulled one of his gas bombs.

Much later, at the cave, Bruce was trying to administer himself the anti-toxine when Helena arrived. He knew she was feeling guilty but he couldn’t even look at her. He wasn’t used to be angry at her. And if he had lost his temper with a miserable, sick man over a stupid comment, something that should be easily avoidable with the training the sacrificed the first decade of Helena’s life to have. What could happen if he acted the same way towards his daughter?

He closed the door of the medbay on her face, wishing the medicine would work faster and trying to ignore the sound of sobbing outside.

**Author's Note:**

> I told you before that I cannot buy the idea of the Rogues that saw Bruce grow up not knowing that he’s Batman, especially after he and Selina got married.  
> And here we have Bruce failing at being Batman and at being a dad :( But cut the man a slack, he’s only human after all.  
> The next extra will be a cute one, promise. I’m as always, accepting requests. Which part of this universe you would like me to explore more?


End file.
